Astral

Brewer 2 Water Shoe - Men's

Runs small

Familiarity:

I returned this product before using it

My foot is measured to 10.5 these are really small in length and width.

Great for kayaking

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

I always hated using my sandals when kayaking. My feet would slip, sand would get between my foot and the the sandal, etc. so I tried these shoes. They worked great! I ended up getting a half size larger (11.5) than my usual shoe size (11) because my toes were butting up against the front of the shoe.

Downgrade from the original

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

The Brewer is by far the best water shoe I've worn. The grip on wet rocks, raft frame, rubber, etc is unmatched and I find them to be very comfortable. They drain well and look rad on and off the water. I finally had to get some 2.0s after a few years of HEAVY use saw my OGs get retired. Here are a few things that I found I didn't like quite as much about the 2.0 compared to original: - more narrow in the midfoot as others have pointed out. It doesn't bother me too much after having them on for a while, but if you have wide feet, could be an issue. - while the grip is still great, I dont think it's as good as the OG. The sole is much firmer in the 2.0s and maybe that's why it seems a bit less grippy. Still better than anything else out there though! - the material on the inside of the OG was almost a ripstop type material. The 2.0 has one that, while soft, I find it can sometimes irritate my feet when wet. Chalk that one up to a personal problem I guess? I also feel like the OG material dried faster too. - 2.0s drain well, but compared to the OGs it doesn't even come close. The OGs had a clear opening in the heel that offered superb draining. The 2.0s have a tiny little hole in the heel which leaves the shoe wetter longer. Overall, the Brewer is still the shoe I recommend to anyone that's on the river a fair amount. I wear them to the office sometimes because they are so comfortable. So while the 2.0s feel like a step back to me, still a top notch shoe. (If I wasn't familiar with the OG Brewer, this review would likely be 5 stars)

Runs very tight in midfoot

Bought these because I'm a big fan of Altra and Topo shoes, both with wide toebox but standard midfoot and heel. While the Brewer 2.0 offer good toe splay and are comfortable in the heel, they are very, very tight in the midfoot (the area just back of the ball). For reference, I wear a size 12 in all sneakers, so I bought that size. While slightly shorter than other sneakers, 12 was probably the correct length. Ordering a half size up may have reduced the midfoot problem, but they don't offer a 12.5.